Raise your hand if your dining room is underutilized. Yup, Suzie's too so she and her husband made part of it into a fun playroom for their son. Suzie shares: Our home is on the small side, so dedicating an entire room to toys and books and puzzles was just unfortunately out of the question. Our dining "room" was virtually unused and since we still have an eat-in kitchen/family room, we decided to donate that table and make that area a play space.
Room is in quotes because really it is not a room. It is a portion of a room...a nook...a tiny nook. We are making it work, though. Since the other half of the room is a living area and also the first room of our home that you see when you walk in, I wanted the spaces to flow and to make sense in our home and I didn't want the toys to be the first things you see. I wanted the play space to be a fun, creative area while also still making sense with the decor in the rest of our home. I didn't want the space to seem disjointed in any way.
A few details:
• Paint color: ""iced espresso" by Behr
• The shelving (EXPEDIT from IKEA) and accessories were already in our home, just taken from other rooms, so this was a free makeover.
• The mirror on the right wall is metal, so not only is it perfect for face-making, but also letter magnets!
• The easel (MALA, from IKEA) was one of his Christmas gifts from us and is currently doubling as a kitchen/grocery store, with a bin of pots, pans, and utensils underneath, next to his car.
• My husband and I made that penguin from a box. I 100% copied the one from Gourmet Mom on-the-Go when we had a penguin party for Connor's first birthday. My mother-in-law helped me sew felt fish bean bags to be thrown into the penguin's mouth. They are in the bucket next to the penguin.
Thanks Suzie! Readers, you can see plenty more photos and read more about Connor's room on Cupcake Monkey.
Must-See Small Cool Homes: Week Two
Beth's Romantic & Retro Residence
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
Commercial Flour Sa...
How to Cook Moist & Tender Chicken Breasts Every Time
How To Cook Tender, Chewy Wheat Berries on the Stovetop
So cute! My sister-in-law made her dining room into a playroom too, and their house is huge. I think it's a great way to use the space if you don't need to eat in there.
Thanks so much for featuring our room! That sure made my day! :)
...and thanks for the FB 'likes' and for the sweet comment above!!
love this room. great job! it's amazing how dark walls can make things pop.
For that twice a year family holiday dinner, too many dining rooms are a wasted space. Re-inventing it into a play room or space is a much needed, value added footprint. If the room/space is open to the rest of a living room, use tall bookcases turned with the back against a sofa. Affix mirrors to the back, paint it to be another wall in the LR (chance to use an accent color), or upholster with the rooms' fabric to add much needed quiet.